The rise of ‘micro’ apps: non-developers are writing apps instead of buying them

A growing trend, dubbed the rise of 'micro' apps, personal apps, or fleeting apps, is emerging due to rapid advancements in AI technology like Claude and ChatGPT. Individuals with no prior tech background are easily building custom web and mobile applications to solve highly niche, personal problems—such as finding a restaurant or tracking health data—and often intend for these apps to be used only temporarily by themselves or a small group. While tools like Bubble and Adalo predated this, the new capability lies in describing the desired app in natural language. Experts compare this shift to the explosion seen with social media and Shopify, suggesting micro apps will fill the gap between simple spreadsheets and full-fledged products. Challenges remain, including subscription costs and potential quality/security flaws in these non-mass-market apps, but the potential for hyper-personalized software solutions is significant.

(Source：TechCrunch)